Bureau reveals lamentable levels of affordable housing in Vauxhall, Nine Elms & Battersea

Depressing data follows hot on the heels of the recent Lambeth Council decision to accept a reduction of affordable housing from 40% to 17% from Fraser Projects' Sky Gardens scheme (a decision curiously assisted by the abstention of Oval Councillor Jane Edwardes).

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has conducted a six month study into the levels of affordable housing being achieved for new developments up and down the country and found that 60% of the biggest housing developments currently in the planning system are falling short of local affordable housing targets, preventing thousands of cheaper homes being built.

The Bureau has published the following data showing that anticipated levels of affordable housing in VNEB developments are mostly less than 20%:

The report says:

In London, where the number of people accepted as homeless stands at 14,812, one of the largest developments going through the planning system shows less than 17% of the planned 15,000 units will be affordable. This is despite Lambeth, one of the two councils involved in the 195-hectare (480-acre) development in south London, stating to its tenants council two years ago that affordable housing could account for 35% of new units built in its section.

Pete Robbins, Lambeth council cabinet member for housing and regeneration, says: ‘We are serious about delivering a high level of affordable housing in every new development that comes forward in Lambeth. But this is much harder now because of the viability tests that give… developers a chance to avoid our affordable housing targets. We continue to work hard to maximise affordable housing levels, but the bottom line is that our hands are increasingly tied.’